There are a growing number of Christian leaders, pastors, authors and conference speakers who are either openly or tacitly teaching Christians that God is at work in other world religions. The way they speak leads many to believe that we need to recognize God's work in these other world religions and embrace the worshippers of these other gods as brothers in Christ who are experiencing Jesus differently than we are in their 'faith communities'.

These ideas are based on the assumptions of postmodernity and are having a devastating effect on Christian missions. In this post, I'm going to discuss what these postmodern assumptions are as well as provide the Biblical passages that explain what God has revealed regarding how Christians are to view other religions and those who are caught up in them.

Postmodernism's Irrationalism Regarding Truth Being Experienced in Community

Postmodernism is a philosophical worldview that has its origins in Counter-Enlightenment philosophy (for a more thorough discussion of the basic tenants of this worldview please listen to my lecture entitled Resistance is Futile: You Will Be Assimilated Into the Community). This worldview denies the existence of transcendent truths (these are truths that are universally binding on all human beings) as well as the existence of the individual. In the postmodern way of thinking, communities are the organic entities of note and truth is experienced or felt and never rises above a community. Therefore, in the postmodern worldview, one community's 'experience of truth' is just as valid as another community's 'experience of truth'. Neither community is wrong or right, their experience of truth is their experience and shouldn't be condemned or scrutinized but embraced as just one of many beautiful and messy ways of experiencing truth.

Those who hold this worldview would not call people in other religions like Islam, Buddhism or Hinduism out of those religions into Christianity. But, they would instead see those other religions as valid 'faith communities' or tribes where God is already working and where people are 'experiencing God'. They may even refer to them as "followers of God in the way of Mohammed" or "followers of God in the way of Buddha". In this postmodern way of thinking, the details about the 'god' you believe in (doctrines) don't matter. What matters is that people are plugged into a 'faith community' and that within that community they are experiencing 'god', life change and making a difference in the world.

Ultimately, the postmodern worldview reduces Christianity to one of many valid faith communities or faith traditions where people can have an experience of the divine. But as you will see, this worldview is in direct conflict with scripture, Jesus Himself and is fundamentally incompatible with Christianity.

Jesus' Description of Other Religions

Many so called, Red-Letter Christians forget that the red letters do not end in the Gospel According to John. They also appear in the book of Acts and in the book of Revelation. If Christianity were merely one valid faith community among many then we'd expect to see that same belief in action by the apostles during the early missionary activity of the church. Furthermore, we'd expect to see that attitude modeled and reinforced by Jesus, who is the head of the church. But what we do see recorded is the exact opposite of the postmodern pluralistic view.

In Acts 26, the Apostle Paul recounts his encounter with the resurrected Jesus to King Agrippa. Paul, who was named Saul at the time, was traveling to Damascus in order to arrest Christians when Jesus appeared to him. Here's Paul's account, including the words Jesus spoke to him.

“I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’” (Acts 26:12–18)

Jesus' words to Saul make it absolutely clear those who follow other religions are not experiencing God in their "faith communities". Instead, Jesus said they are in darkness and under the power of Satan and need to be set free through the good news of the forgiveness of sins, which was won by Jesus on the cross.

Saul himself was freed by Jesus and was brought to repentance, had his sins washed away (Acts 22:14-16) and became the great Christian missionary to the Gentiles known as the Apostle Paul. It's important here to note that we can demonstrate from Paul's letters in the New Testament that he made Jesus' view of the pagan religions his own. This is clearly seen in passages from 1 Corinthians. Here are two that address this topic directly.

“Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “an idol has no real existence,” and that “there is no God but one.” For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.” (1 Corinthians 8:4–6)

“Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. Consider the people of Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar? What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?” (1 Corinthians 10:14–22)

It's obvious from what Paul wrote in these passages that his missionary zeal was in part motivated by a firm belief that those people who were worshipping the pagan 'gods' were in bondage to Satan and were offering sacrifices to demons. Rather than embracing the followers of these pagan religions as "followers of God in the way of Zeus", he called them to repent and utterly forsake these worthless nonexistent 'gods'. In Lystra Paul proclaimed, “we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things (the 'gods' Zeus and Hermes) to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.” (Acts 14:15) In Athens Paul's “spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols.” (Acts 17:16). Paul's words and actions are consistent with the belief that all other 'gods' are false and that repentance and belief in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins is the only way of salvation. This is what Jesus taught, this is what Paul believed and acted upon and this is exactly what is revealed in the Old Testament as well.

Old Testament Revelation Regarding The One True God

Below, I've reproduced just a sampling of the Old Testament passages that reveal that there is only one God and that God does NOT accept worship of false gods as 'proxy' worship of Him.

“And God spoke all these words: ...“You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand [generations] of those who love me and keep my commandments.” (Exodus 20:1–6)

“Oh sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth! Sing to the LORD, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are worthless idols, but the LORD made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary” (Psalms 96:1–6)

“You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me. I, I am the LORD, and besides me there is no savior.” (Isaiah 43:10–11)

“Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god.” (Isaiah 44:6)

“Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, who formed you from the womb: “I am the LORD, who made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself,” (Isaiah 44:24)

“But the LORD is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King. At his wrath the earth quakes, and the nations cannot endure his indignation.

Thus shall you say to them: “The gods who did not make the heavens and the earth shall perish from the earth and from under the heavens.”

It is he who made the earth by his power, who established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding stretched out the heavens. When he utters his voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he makes the mist rise from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain, and he brings forth the wind from his storehouses. Every man is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols, for his images are false, and there is no breath in them. They are worthless, a work of delusion; at the time of their punishment they shall perish.” (Jeremiah 10:10–15)

“The LORD of hosts has sworn by himself: Surely I will fill you with men, as many as locusts, and they shall raise the shout of victory over you.

“It is he who made the earth by his power, who established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding stretched out the heavens. When he utters his voice there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he makes the mist rise from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain, and he brings forth the wind from his storehouses. Every man is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols, for his images are false, and there is no breath in them. They are worthless, a work of delusion; at the time of their punishment they shall perish.” (Jeremiah 51:14–18)

“I am the LORD; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.” (Isaiah 42:8)

“For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another.” (Isaiah 48:11)

“All worshipers of images are put to shame, who make their boast in worthless idols” (Psalms 97:7)

“They are turned back and utterly put to shame, who trust in carved idols, who say to metal images, “You are our gods.”” (Isaiah 42:17)

The Bottom Line

Christianity, contrary to the teaching and belief of those popular leaders who've bought into a postmodern worldview, is not merely one 'faith community' among many valid 'faith communities'. According to Jesus, all of the followers of Mohammed, Buddha, Shiva, Vishnu and all the so-called 'gods' of the other world religions are in darkness while Christianity alone has the light. All followers of false gods are in bondage to Satan and demons, while Christians alone have been set free by Jesus Christ. The one true God is not at work in the other religions of the world. They are not experiencing Him in their houses of worship. Furthermore, the One True God has sworn that all worshippers of 'false gods' will be put to shame because the One True God will not share His glory with a false god or idol. Therefore, all people who are Christians must not have a view other than this view. To do so is to put yourself in opposition to Jesus Christ, who is God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God and the LORD (YHWH) of the Old Testament.

If you've believed the postmodern pluralistic view of other religions then you must repent! Your false doctrine on this matter turns Jesus into a liar and ultimately has a devastating impact on evangelism and leaves people dead in their trespasses and sins. It leaves them in darkness and under the power of Satan.

If you are guilty of believing a view that is contrary to Jesus', confess your sin and your idolatry and be forgiven. “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:8–9)

Now, go bear fruit in keeping with repentance by proclaiming the narrow and exclusive message of salvation to your family, friends, neighbors, coworkers and those you come in contact with.

“God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:18–21)

Come, Holy Ghost, God and Lord!
Be all Thy graces now out poured
On each believer's mind and heart;
Thy fervent love to them impart.
Lord, by the brightness of Thy light,
Thou in the faith dost men unite
Of every land and every tongue;
This to Thy praise, O Lord, our God, be sung.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Thou holy Light, Guide Divine,
Oh, cause the Word of Life to shine!
Teach us to know our God aright
And call Him Father with delight.
From every error keep us free;
Let none but Christ our Master be
That we in living faith abide,
In Him, our Lord, with all our might confide.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Thou holy Fire, Comfort true,
Grant us the will Thy work to do
And in Thy service to abide;
Let trials turn us not aside.
Lord, by Thy power prepare each heart
And to our weakness strength impart
That bravely here we may contend,
Through life and death to Thee, our Lord, ascend.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

I have mixed thoughts and feelings toward Dietrich Bonhoeffer. That being said, I've gotta admit that he nailed it on this one:

God hates visionary dreaming; it makes the dreamer proud and pretentious. The man who fashions a visionary ideal of community demands that it be realized by God, by others, and by himself. He enters the community of Christians with his demands, sets up his own law, and judges the brethren and God Himself accordingly. He stands adamant, a living reproach to all others in the circle of brethren. He acts as if he is the creator of Christian community, as if his dream binds men together. When things do not go his way, he calls the effort a failure. When his ideal picture is destroyed, he sees the community going to smash. So he becomes, first an accuser of his brethren, then an accuser of God, and finally the despairing accuser of himself. - Life Together

Given the penchant for so many of the seeker-driven types to read from Eugene Peterson's 'The Message' in services as if it were a Bible version, I thought you might be interested in a potted version of British Methodist scholar Neil Richardson's article "Should Eugene Peterson's 'The Message' be Read in Church?" from the November 2009 issue of the Epworth Review. Richardson concentrates on Peterson's rendering of Paul's Epistles. The Message as published carries a mixed message, of course - is it Peterson, or the Bible? Peterson, of course.

The great question is; is it accurate? Hearing The Message, a congregation, "Will hear something comprehensible, but unless they compare it with a translation which is closer to the original Greek or Hebrew, they can't assess whether it is an accurate interpretation or not."

Richardson identifies nine classes of problems in The Message.

1. Inaccuracies of translation. There are many places where, though a direct equivalent of a word should be used (lists in particular), Peterson gives a less-than-equivalent rendering. So in Galatians 5:19-21, Peterson renders Paul's description of 'The Works of the Flesh' as: "It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on." It would be difficult to find the equivalents for some of these in the original text or indeed in a decent English translation. In Romans 1:18 Peterson writes that, "But God's angry displeasure erupts as acts of human mistrust and wrongdoing and lying accumulate". The original word here is apokaluptetai, which means "is being revealed", and is significantly the same word used in the preceding verse of God's righteousness. For the sake of a striking metaphor, Peterson has actually abandoned what Paul wrote. Romans 8:35 is another example of a list where Peterson has significantly amended what Paul wrote, "Bullying threats" is not a satisfactory equivalent to the more accurate 'danger' in the ESV. In Romans 8:38, rather than the accurate (and sublime) "neither life nor death", Peterson has "Nothing living or dead."

2. Misleading readings. These are paraphrases that misunderstand Paul. The first example Richardson gives is Romans 2:10, where The Message reads, "if you embrace the way God does things, there are wonderful payoffs". The context shows however that Paul's perspective is the future, the Second Advent, not the present. In Romans 8:26, we read, "If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter". The words "it doesn't matter" have no antecedent in the Greek at all. At times Peterson is trying to smooth out Paul's style, which is never a good idea. Romans 5:10 in The Message reads: "If, when we were at our worst, we were put on friendly terms with God by the sacrificial death of his Son, now that we're at our best, just think of how our lives will expand and deepen by means of his resurrection life!" Even if "While we were at our worst" is accepted as a half-way decent rendering of the Greek, "now that we're at our best" is by no means an acceptable rendering of what should be translated "now that we are reconciled."

3. References to Jews and Judaism. Peterson is not a proponent of the New Perspective on Paul. He is however far too ready to overplay the legalism of Pharisaism, so that in Romans 7:6, instead of 'Letter', we have, "oppressive regulations and fine print". The rendering of 2 Corinthians 3:15, "Whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds," as "Even today when the proclamations of that old, bankrupt government are read out, they can't see through it" is simply awful. Then there are such gratuitous additions to the original as "all their talk about the law is gas" in Galatians 6:13.

4. Colloquialisms and anachronisms. In Romans 8:3 The Message reads, "God went for the jugular when he sent his own Son." Really? The image may be striking, but seems unwarranted by the original text. There are some places where a colloquialism obscures the meaning of the text, such as 2 Corinthians 7:13, "That's what happened—and we felt just great." Which is all very well, but the original literally reads, "Because of this, we have been comforted." The anachronisms include a reference to sandwiches in 1 Corinthians 11:33.

5. Additions. A paraphrase is bound to be longer than the original, but Peterson is guilty of addition for the sake of addition in many places, and many of these are misleading and distort rather than clarify Paul. For example in Galatians 6:14-15 we read, "I have been crucified in relation to the world, set free from the stifling atmosphere of pleasing others and fitting into the little patterns that they dictate." Gone is Paul's striking image of the world crucified to him, and in its place is this long 'explanation' of the idea of Paul being crucified to the rold that explains nothing.

6. Disappearances. Paul's 'And the world is crucified to me' is certainly not the only omission. What is striking in fact is that the phrases that are missing are often ones that are somewhat difficult; one cannot avoid the impression that where Peterson did not understand what Paul was saying and knew that he did not, he just left that bit out. The phrase "God will destroy him" is lacking in 1 Corinthians 3:17. In Romans 12:20-21 Paul's striking metaphor of heaping coals on an enemy's head by kindness is excised. In 1 Corinthians 10:6 the phrase "These things happened as examples for us" has been replaced with the rather bland, "the same thing could happen to us."

8. Unnecessary. There are places where some of the additional material is quite unnecessary; Peterson seems to have let himself go and often paraphrased for the sake of paraphrasing rather than just where it makes the text clearer. There is no need to paraphrase where the original is clear enough already. So why add "How can they render justice if they do not believe in the God of Justice?" to 1 Corinthians 6:6? That has nothing to do with Paul's point, and the text is clear enough without it. And of course "The Message" is not an adequate, or clearer, substitute for "The Gospel."

9. Reductionist renderings. Richardson explains, "By this I mean paraphrases which reduce or remove the extraordinary, eschatalogical, counter-cultural nature of Paul's writings." Peterson does not always do this, of course, but he does it a lot; "affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity" are just not adequate replacements for, "Love, joy, peace" in Galatians 5:22, and the list of the fruit of the spirit gets worse from there. "Be cheerful" is not the same as "be joyful" (1 Thessalonians 5:16).

So what is to be done? The Message is obviously not a Bible translation, or even a terribly good paraphrase. Rather than allowing the Bible to expand his understanding, Peterson has often contracted the Bible to fit his own ideas, omitting those bits that he cannot fit, and adding his own material in far too many places. With the aim of making the Bible and the Gospel comprehensible, he has actually done something quite different; he has made them manageable, which is not to be done. While paraphrases can be useful, they must be faithful to the original material, and that is precisely where The Message falls down. To read The Message in Church as if it is a Bible translation is misleading and wrong. When The Message is read, the reader must be aware that he is reading what Eugene Peterson thinks God meant to say, not what God actually said. The charge may sound harsh, but it is quite accurate.

In the name of our blessed Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Gervase Nicholas E. Charmley

"I know I am a great sinner, and that Christ is a great Saviour." -- John Newton

By grace I’m saved, grace free and boundless;
My soul, believe and doubt it not.
Why stagger at this word of promise?
Has Scripture ever falsehood taught?
No; then this word must true remain;
By grace you too will life obtain.

By grace! None dare lay claim to merit;
Our works and conduct have no worth.
God in His love sent our Redeemer,
Christ Jesus, to this sinful earth;
His death did for our sins atone,
And we are saved by grace alone.

By grace! Oh, mark this word of promise
When thou art by thy sins opprest,
When Satan plagues thy troubled conscience,
And when thy heart is seeking rest.
What reason cannot comprehend
God by His grace to thee doth send.

By grace God’s Son, our only Savior,
Came down to earth to bear our sin.
Was it because of your own merit
That Jesus died your soul to win?
No, it was grace, and grace alone,
That brought him from his heavenly throne.

By grace! This ground of faith is certain;
As long as God is true, it stands.
What saints have penned by inspiration,
What in his word our God commands,
Our faith in what our God has done
Depends on grace - grace through his Son.

By grace to timid hearts that tremble,
In tribulation’s furnace tried,
By grace, in spite of fear and trouble,
The Father’s heart is open wide.
Where could I help and strength secure
If grace were not my anchor sure?

By grace! On this I’ll rest when dying;
In Jesus’ promise I rejoice;
For though I know my heart’s condition,
I also know my Savior’s voice.
My heart is glad, all grief has flown
Since I am saved by grace alone.

---

Author: Korneluis Heinrich Dretzel
Tune: O Dass Ich Tausend Zungen Hatte
1st Published in: 1742
This edition was made available by Pirate Christian Radio
and was recorded on the Pirate Christian Pipes

In light of the blatant pursuit of worldly relevance in the visible church today, passages like the ones below strike me as being diametrically opposed to the predominant methods and messages of so many churches.

“Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.

The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2:12–14)

“Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” So let no one boast in men” (1 Corinthians 3:18–21)

These passages remind me of something that Luther said regarding Albertus, Bishop of Mentz. The Bishop was part of the Roman Catholic delegation at the Diet of Augsburg in 1530 and was no friend or ally of the Reformation . Here's how Luther told the story:

In the year of our Lord 1530, at the Imperial Assembly at Augsburg, Albertus, Bishop of Mentz, by chance had got into his hands the Bible, and for the space of four hours he continued reading therein; at last, one of his Council on a sudden came into his bed-chamber unto him, who, seeing the Bible in the Bishop’s hand, was much amazed thereat, and said unto him, “what doth your Highness with that book?” The Archbishop thereupon answered him, and said, “I know not what this book is, but sure I am, all that is written therein is quite against us.”

It is impossible to use electric light and the wireless and to avail ourselves of modern medical and surgical discoveries, and at the same time to believe in the New Testament world of spirits and miracles. (Kerygma and Myth).

If Bultmann had to advertise his claim using the state-of-the-art technology of the time it would have probably looked something like this.

Now that you see it like that, the claim doesn't appear all that compelling, does it?

How does the Bible define "spiritual maturity"? Here are some pertinent Bible passages that discuss this important topic.

“And he [Jesus] gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. (Ephesians 4:11–14)

“Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them.” (Hebrews 13:7–9)

Notice that spiritual maturity, according to scripture, is marked by the ability to NOT be carried or lead away by strange winds of false doctrine. But, being so thoroughly grounded in God's Word that you are not deceived.

Put another way, one of the clearest signs that a person is spiritually immature (or even spiritually dead) is the fact that they succumb to and are lead away by every strange wind of false doctrine.

Another thought to consider from scripture regarding spiritual maturity

Pastors, according to scripture are to be models of spiritual maturity in both life and doctrine. Here are the qualifications of a pastor as laid out in the Pastoral Epistle, Titus. Pay close attention to what the Holy Spirit reveals regarding the vital importance of sound doctrine and how those who will not abide by sound doctrine and teach falsely are "detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work".

“Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior;

This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you— if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. For an overseer,as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.

For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach. One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth. To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled. They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.

But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.” (Titus 1:1–2:8)

Based on what these passages from scripture reveal, are you spiritually mature or immature?

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